God Gave Me You
by zuruckgekommen
Summary: When Mrs. Lovett is attacked, Sweeney Todd must step into a role he is uncomfortable with, or risk losing his accomplice forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys. Decided to start a new fic since I finished my old one. I'm not sure that I like this one at all though, so if you don't either, I'll trash it. Just let me know what you think so I know what to do with it. Continue? Start over? What? The quicker I get reviews on this, the quicker I will either update it, or start something new. :) And thank you to everyone who read and reviewed my other fic. It was fun!**

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Nellie Lovett woke up bright and early, as she did every day, ready to bake the pies she'd need to open her shop by lunch time. She decided, that day, to let Toby sleep in. She would go the market on her own, and maybe pick up a little treat for the boy. It was, after all, his birthday. Unfortunately, this was a decision she would soon regret.

As she made her way through the shops she needed to go to, she kept her eye open for a nice little gift for Toby. She was paying too much attention to that, to realize that there was someone following her. Finally, she saw a box of Toby's favorite chocolates and figured she'd better just buy those, since it was getting close to time to open the shop and she still had some baking to do.

As she was paying, Beadle Bamford stepped up beside her. "Special occasion?" He asked, giving her what she could only assume was his version of a smile.

"Well, yes. It's my son's birthday, you see." She answered, a bit uneasy around him.

"Ah. He's a lucky boy." Bamford winked at her, and she flinched.

"Yes, I s'pose so." She nodded at him, walking away and hoping he'd take the hint.

He didn't. He followed her out of the store and down the street.

"Can I 'elp you?" She snapped, getting annoyed.

"Why, yes. You can." He gave her another grin and grabbed her arm.

She jerked it away and started walking faster. "What do you want?"

"I've 'ad my eye on you for a while, Mrs. Lovett. You see, I think we'd be 'elpful to one another."

"I don't." She said curtly. "I've really got to hurry home. I'm late to open the shop."

"Well then we'll just 'ave to make it quick, won't we?" He smirked. He grabbed at her again and she tried to bat him away. "You see, ma'am, I know what you and that barber are up to. But so long as you do what I say, I won't 'ave to run off and tell my dear friend Judge Turpin." He pulled her in another direction. "You'll come with me." He ordered.

She gulped. She couldn't have him running off to the judge, but she didn't know how she'd manage this, either. So she did as she was told and followed him to a building she'd never even known existed. He led her inside, never letting go of her arm, and took her bags from her. He set them down at the door and dragged her over to a dusty, beat up sofa. "Shall we?" He asked.

"N-no..Please. Isn't there something else I can do for you?" She tried to reach for her money.

"This will do just fine." He reached up and ripped her dress, just enough so he could pull it off.

She shivered, wrapping her arms around her exposed body. "Please." She said again, hopelessly. "I can't..."

"Oh, but you can. You'll see."

The rest was a blur. A heavy, painful, blur.


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright. Sorry for the delay. As always, reviews inspire me to write more. Let me know if I should continue.**

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It was getting late, and Toby was wondering where Mrs. Lovett could be. They should've opened the shop an hour ago, but he had nothing to sell. He was starting to get worried, so he went up to ask Mr. Todd if he knew where she might be. He knocked lightly on the door, always uneasy around the barber.

"What." Barked a voice from inside.

"Mr. Todd?" Toby pushed the door open slightly. "Sir, I'm looking for Mrs. Lovett. See, we should've opened a while ago, but she's gone! Do ya know where she might be?"

"No." Sweeney answered, annoyed.

"Oh." Toby frowned, disappointed. "Well I guess I'd better go an' look for her!"

"Yes. Guess so." He rolled his eyes.

That was confirmation enough for Toby, and he scampered off in search of her. After roaming the streets for around an hour, he heard a faint moaning coming from a little building that he'd never even noticed before. Not thinking for a second that it could be his beloved Mrs. Lovett, he nearly walked straight by it. But, he had a kind heart, and felt badly for whoever might've been in there, suffering, so he stopped and let himself in. "'Scuse me," He cleared his throat. "Are you alright in 'ere?" But as he walked further in, he could see his caretaker laying there naked, all balled up on the floor.

"Mrs. Lovett? Mum?" He ran towards her. "Wot's 'appened to you?" He placed his small hand on her bare back and she shivered beneath him. "It's me, Mum." He whispered.

She let out another groan and reached for her ripped dress. She was freezing, disoriented, and sore all over.

Toby instinctively grabbed it and handed it to her. He turned away, giving her some space, but when he turned back she was just clutching at it, tears streaming down her face. "Mum." He said quietly, "come on, we need to go 'ome."

But she didn't answer him. She didn't even acknowledge that he'd spoken. She was in another world. And he needed help. "I'll be right back." He sighed. "I promise."

He took off running and didn't stop or slow down until he reached the stairs, which he took two at a time. He didn't knock, simply flung the door open. By this point he, too, was crying. "Mr. Todd," he sobbed, "you've got to 'elp me. Mrs. Lovett's been 'urt real bad, sir, please." His words came out all jumbled, and Sweeney shook his head, annoyed as usual by the boy's stupidity.

"Where is she?" He asked, calm as could be.

"I'll show you." Toby started back down the stairs.

"Slow down!" Sweeney barked, unwilling to look like a complete fool running through London, chasing a child.

Toby looked back. "Hurry!" He called, slowing his pace a bit.

When he finally reached the little building again, he bent over, panting. "Mum!" He called. "I've brought Mr. Todd!" He knelt down beside her as Sweeney sauntered in.

"Get away, boy." He scowled.

Toby took a few steps back but stayed close enough to be sure he could see the baker at all times.

"Mrs. Lovett." Sweeney said, his voice hard as ever. "Get up."

"I can't." She sobbed, completely broken.

He tapped his foot, annoyed. "Fine." He reached down and pulled her up effortlessly, but she cried out in both pain and embarrassment. Her whole body was now exposed and she found herself still clutching at her ripped dress. She tried to will her body into the dress, but her she was shaking all over and could barely stand, let alone dress herself. She was ice cold, too, from lying there naked for so long.

"Bloody 'ell." Sweeney muttered. "Come on." He helped her into the dress and tried to guide her to the door, as Toby watched helplessly. But she could barely walk. She limped along, giving her it best, but it'd have taken them ages to get home if they went on that way. So Sweeney Todd did the only thing he could think to do, and scooped her up off her feet and into his arms. He rolled his eyes as obviously as he could, so she wouldn't think he was doing this because he wanted to, and carried her all the way back to their home on Fleet Street, with Toby trailing behind.


	3. Chapter 3

**Tried to put this one out as quickly as possible, as I may not be able to continue for a while. Going away for a few months and won't have internet access, so...hopefully it will be worth the wait!**

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As Nellie Lovett's eyes began to flutter open, she became immediately confused. She was at home in her bed, but she had no recollection of how she'd gotten there. And then there was the pain. As soon as she moved, she felt it. And unfortunately, she could remember this part. The Beadle. Her dress. She looked down and realized she was wearing a nightgown, and shuddered to think what she must've looked like to whomever had dressed her.

And whom could that have been?

She managed to ease herself into a seated position, and heard Toby jump from the chair in the corner of the room.

"Mum!" He half-shouted. "You're awake! Are you alright? What can I do for you? How'd you-"

"Shhhh." She cut him off. "Hush now, Toby. Let me get me bearings 'ere..."

"Sorry, Mum!" He stood awkwardly next to her.

She waited a few moments, closing her eyes and opening them again, wishing hard for a different reality. Alas, this was all she had and she had to try to make it work. She was a strong woman, she could handle it.

"Now then." She cleared her throat. "Could you fetch me some tea, darling?" She faked a smile, hoping to reassure him, but it turned out to be more of a grimace and only seemed to panic him more.

He flew from the room and came back minutes later, dripping hot tea all over his hands as he brought the cup to her.

She sighed and took a few sips. "Thank you." She said. "So uh, how'd I get back 'ere?"

"Well you see, Mum, I went off to look for you because we should've opened the shop but you weren't 'ere, and then I found you in a little house near the market, and I tried to 'elp you and bring you back 'ome, but I couldn't do it! Not on my own! So I came back 'ere and got Mr. Todd and we went and got you and brought you back and-"

"Mr. T?" She perked up a bit.

"Yes, Mum." He answered. "E's upstairs, been up there ever since but I ain't seen anybody else go up there..."

"Right." She said. "Well, I guess I ought to get up, then." She started to pull herself up, but he stopped her.

"No. You should rest."

He was so young, she thought, but he cared so much for her. It was sweet. And then she remembered why she'd been out in the first place. It was his birthday! And what an awful one it must've been for him.

"Toby, it's your birthday!" She exclaimed sadly, as a wave of guilt nearly reduced her to tears.

"Yes, well, it doesn't matter! All that matters is you're safe!" He replied.

So selfless, she thought with a frown.

"What is it, Mum?"

"Nothing, dear. Maybe I will 'ave that rest after all." She leaned back and closed her eyes, hoping he might take the hint and leave, but he didn't. She sighed. "You should do the same, Toby. I might be needin' your 'elp a bit more than usual."

He nodded. "If you need anything, you just say so alright? I'll be right out there.."

"I'll be fine." She reassured him.

But as soon as he closed the door, the tears finally came. She cried for herself, for the misery she'd been forced to endure. She cried for Toby having to deal with so much, so young. She cried for Lucy, for she'd now suffered a similar fate and understood how it might be that she could've made an attempt on her life. And she cried, because she was alone. Sweeney Todd would never be hers, so she cried and cried until she fell asleep.


End file.
